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Streetscape plan for downtown wins approval The Grove Hill Town Council unanimously approved a proposed streetscape design for Main Street from town hall to the courthouse in a special meeting Tuesday night and agreed to seek federal funds to construct the half million dollar project. The meeting, unlike an initial one that sparked tempers over the plan, was calmer, as citizens expressed pros and cons on the project. "The plan proposed Tuesday night was drastically different than the one published two weeks ago," Michele Floyd, an urban forester with the Ala-Tom RC & D Council said. "We listened to what people had to say and looked at changes but we wanted to make sure that this is not just a beautification project, but also something that deals with the flow of traffic, pedestrian safety and other concerns. "This is to try and promote economic development," she added. Floyd, in addressing the council about the changes made, explained that the question of lost parking places had been addressed and that the 28 that would be lost along the middle of main street would be replaced, in other areas, with at least 35 places. "By the time this project is ready to get started it will be at least 2008 or early 2009 and by then the courthouse will be done and that could open the door for even more parking," she added. Grove Hill citizen Kendall Bush expressed some of the same reservations that he made at the initial meeting. "First, I would just like to apologize for offending anyone at the last meeting," he said. "But as I look at the plan, I am not against it completely, but I think it is on too grand a scale. "We have areas in town that need to be maintained, like along Highway 84 and 43 and it looks terrible," he said. "I just don't think we have the personnnel to maintain what we have, but on a scaled back version of this could be more manageable." Some downtown business people have expressed opposition to the plan, saying it could hurt their businesses. But Amy Clarke-Davis, owner of a dance school on Main Street said, "I put my business downtown and I want to say that I am completely for the plan, especially eliminating the middle [street] parking. I have dancers that have to go out and get picked up by their parents and there is a danger. But I say 'Yea!' to the proposal." Ann Andrews, the wife of Jerry Andrews, owner of Andrews Associated Foods, told the council she had a petition that contained 720 names of those who were against the proposed plan on Main Street. She made no additional comment and there was no response to the petition. "I have had to write grants before," Mary English said. "And I know that you ask for the moon and are happy to get whatever you can. I don't want to do anything to hurt any businesses, but I see this as the beginning of a great thing for this town." Levon Hicks made the motion and it was seconded by Terry Stifflemire with all the council members voting for it. Should the town be successful in getting the approximately $500,000 grant, it would be responsible for 20 percent of the cost, or $100,000.
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